OPTUS CONTINUES MOBILE MUSTER MANDATE TO REDUCE LANDFILL

·         It is estimated that there are more than 23 million unused mobile phones in homes around Australia*
·         Of the 23 million unused phones, five million of these are broken and no longer working*
·         One in two Australians are keeping an old phone “just in case”

Optus is committed to managing not just the company’s own environmental footprint but across the supply chain and aims to raise awareness of sustainability as part of National Recycling Week.

In its 23rd year, Planet Ark’s founded National Recycling Week, which runs from November 12-18, brings a national focus to the environmental benefits of recycling.

“Optus is continually working to deeply embed sustainability into our culture by encouraging our people to make a positive contribution to their local community and environment,” Optus Vice President of Sustainability, Andrew Buay said.

It is a long-term commitment that evolves for the company. Optus has supported Mobile Muster since 1998, while more recently introducing a retail bag developed from renewable paper which is 100 per cent recyclable and biodegradable.

Mobile Muster is a not-for-profit program, voluntarily funded by most handset manufactures and all network carriers in Australia, with an aim to keep old mobiles out of landfill and to recycle them in a safe, secure and ethical way.

In 2018 Mobile Muster recycled 90 tonnes of mobile phones and accessories and Optus contributed over four tonnes; or 53,437 handsets and batteries.

Through the Mobile Muster program, Optus has saved 10 tonnes of CO2 emissions from entering the atmosphere and conserved 50 tonnes of mineral resources.

Optus’ recycling effort has had the environmental benefit equivalent to planting 259 trees, something Optus Sport host Mel McLaughlin is proud to champion.

“There are more than 23 million unwanted mobile phones across Australia, which is the equivalent of 2,200 tonnes of metal, minerals, plastics and glass and 95 per cent can be recycled,” Ms McLaughlin said.

“I believe it is an easy contribution we can all make by simply taking our old phones and accessories into an Optus store, so they don’t end up as landfill.”

Optus hosts collection points for old mobile phones, battery or accessories (including battery chargers) in all retails stores and inserts reply paid recycling satchels into Optus pre-paid mobile bundles. The recycling service is free, allowing customers to post back their old mobiles for recycling.

To find out more about Mobile Muster, please visit mobilemuster.com.au and for National Recycling Week, please visit recyclingnearyou.com.au.

*Independent online survey conducted in January and February 2018 by IPSOS on behalf of AMTA of 1001 mobile phone users, aged 16 years or older randomly selected from all States across Australia.

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Media contact:

Tara White
Optus Corporate Affairs
(02) 8082 7850
media@optus.com.au